In terms of specific health concerns, my father's diabetes and my mother's high cholesterol were significant factors in our family dynamic. While they may have been aware of these conditions, it often seemed like they prioritized my needs over their own health. This could be seen as a common trait among working-class families, where limited resources and time are often stretched thin, leading to neglect of personal health.

Later in my teens, my dad went to rehab for opioid addiction, and his insurance covered the treatment. When I became a young adult, I went to rehab as well, also covered by my dad's insurance.

As for cultural influences, being Irish-American also played a role. Alcoholism has unfortunately been a stereotype associated with Irish culture, and it was evident in my family's struggle with alcohol addiction. However, it's important to note that not all Irish families exhibit this behavior, and it would be unfair to generalize based on ethnicity alone.

In terms of friends from different ethnic backgrounds, I did notice some variations in health behaviors. For example, friends from Hispanic backgrounds often had a strong emphasis on family meals with healthier, home-cooked foods, which could promote better dietary habits. On the other hand, friends from other backgrounds might have had different cultural norms around exercise or healthcare access. Overall, while there were certainly differences, I believe socioeconomic status and individual family dynamics played a more significant role in shaping health behaviors than ethnicity alone.

-Danielle Tenney

Growing up, my family did have health care coverage. I remember my parents always working jobs where health insurance was available. They chose their jobs based on health care coverage. It was not because my sister and I were sick, but they did not want to risk it. After switching jobs for a few years, both of my parents were blessed with jobs working for the county school system. It was then that the health insurance was considered good. Even though we always had health care coverage, I do not remember going to the doctor very often. Our lifestyle was completely different back then, as was the food we ate which contributed to us not being sick. When we did get sick, we treated a lot of sickness at home through natural remedies and if we got too sick, we would go to the pharmacy where the pharmacist would give my mother medicine for us. He was not a doctor, but he did this for a lot of families in our small town. He understood that even with health insurance, going to the doctor costs a lot of money. I cannot imagine that happening today. As I stated earlier, we did not go to the medical doctor very often, but we did always go for regular dental and eye exams. I know that we were in the minority by having health insurance. I am thankful for the sacrifices my parents made to ensure that we always had health insurance.